The invention relates generally to the field of motorcycle parts and components, and more particularly to devices that provide durable, lightweight motorcycle footrests having adjustable footrest positions.
Motorcycles are generally delivered from a manufacturer to a purchaser with footrests having fixed positions with respect to the motorcycle frame. One footrest is located on one side of the motorcycle for convenience of shifting gears with one foot of the operator. Another footrest is located on another side of the motorcycle for convenience of operating brakes with the other foot of the operator. There are several reasons for desiring to adjust the position of the footrest locations that are different from the fixed stock positions provided by a manufacturer. The stock positions may be undesirable due to the physical stature of the motorcycle operator. Because of the operator""s physical stature, the stock positions may be either too high or too low, and either too far forward or too far rearward. When racing motorcycles, it is often desirable to move the footrests higher and rearward due to the extreme lean angles achieved on closed course racetracks. There is a direct relationship between the lean angle of a motorcycle and its achievable speed when traveling through a given arc when encountering a turn. Higher speeds require greater lean angles. If footrests are positioned too low, they may strike the ground at extreme lean angles, creating a hazard for the motorcycle operator and a potential for crashing. This possibility limits the maximum motorcycle speed when encountering a turn or corner. By adjusting the footrests to a higher position, a motorcycle operator can carry more speed through corners and turns due to greater achievable lean angles. However, when footrests are raised to accommodate extreme lean angles, they must also be adjusted rearward in order to bring the operators"" knees down and align the operators"" feet in such a way to provide easy actuation of the gearshift and brake foot controls of the motorcycle.
Each motorcycle operator will have a unique opinion about how far up and how far back the footrests should be placed to achieve a comfortable and functional positioning of the footrest on the motorcycle. When riding on public streets at speeds where the clearance between the motorcycle footrests and the ground is not an issue, the motorcycle operator may wish to place the footrests in a lower and further forward position to achieve a more comfortable arrangement. When considering these issues and the variables involved, it is apparent that it would be advantageous to be able to position the footrests in infinitely adjustable horizontal and vertical increments to meet the specific requirements of the motorcycle operator. A further advantage would be providing a method for locking the adjusted position of each footrest with a single tightening means. Furthermore, the footrests should have sufficient strength, durability and ease of adjustment to withstand the environments encountered in motorcycle operation, including closed course racetracks. Existing footrests suffer from a restricted range of adjustment.
The present invention includes an apparatus and method for providing motorcycle footrests that have continuous and infinite adjustability over a wide range to accommodate the needs of motorcycle operators of various physical statures. The invention provides both horizontal and vertical adjustability with respect to a frame of a motorcycle. The invention is also capable of satisfying the needs of motorcycle operators whether riding on a racetrack or on public streets and highways. The invention provides footrests that are constructed of materials and in such a fashion to be strong, lightweight, durable and easily adjustable. Embodiments of the invention are capable of being locked into position by tightening a single screw on each footrest.
The invention provides durable, lightweight motorcycle footrests having two overlapping eccentric axis of rotation for adjusting footrest position. The footrest position of the present invention provides infinite and continuous adjustability in a vertical and horizontal position with respect to a motorcycle frame within the limits defined by two concentric circles offset from centers of rotation.
An embodiment of the present invention is a method of a dual eccentric adjustable motorcycle footrest that comprises the steps of fastening a bracket having a circular bracket aperture to a motorcycle frame, rotationally adjusting an angular position of a circular collet placed within the circular bracket aperture, the circular collet having an eccentrically offset collet aperture with respect to a circular collet rotational axis, rotationally adjusting an angular position of a foot peg with respect to a foot peg pivot placed within the offset collet aperture, the foot peg having an eccentrically offset positional relationship with respect to a foot peg pivot rotational axis, and fixing an adjusted position of the foot peg by securing the angular position of the collet in the bracket aperture and the angular position of the foot peg pivot in the collet aperture. The step of fixing an adjusted position may comprise providing a slot in the bracket for enabling a friction fit between the bracket aperture and the collet by reducing a diameter of the bracket aperture, providing a slot in the collet for enabling a friction fit between the collet aperture and the foot peg pivot by reducing a diameter of the collet aperture, and tightening a single securing screw through the bracket slot for creating a friction fit between the bracket aperture and the collet by reducing the diameter of the bracket aperture, and for creating a friction fit between the collet aperture and the foot peg pivot by reducing the diameter of the collet aperture. The step of fixing an adjusted position may comprise providing a slot in the collet for enabling a friction fit between the collet and bracket aperture by increasing a diameter of the collet, creating a counter bored hole along the foot peg pivot axis, the counter bored hole having a slot machined in a side wall parallel to the foot peg pivot axis for increasing a diameter of the foot peg pivot, and inserting a single threaded fastener into the counter bored hole and threading the threaded fastener into a tapered nut, causing the slotted counter bored hole in the foot peg pivot to expand for securing the angular position of the foot peg pivot in the collet aperture and securing the angular position of the collet in the bracket aperture. The method may further comprise providing a slot in the bracket for enabling a friction fit between the bracket aperture and the collet by reducing a diameter of the bracket aperture, and tightening a securing screw through the bracket slot for creating a friction fit between the bracket aperture and the collet by reducing the diameter of the bracket aperture. The step of fixing an adjusted position may comprise providing a slot in the bracket for enabling a friction fit between the bracket aperture and the collet by reducing a diameter of the bracket aperture, providing a slot in the collet for enabling a clamping fit between the collet aperture and the foot peg pivot by reducing a diameter of the collet aperture, machining a spline in the collet aperture and a matching spline on the foot peg pivot, and tightening a single securing screw through the bracket slot for creating a friction fit between the bracket aperture and the collet by reducing the diameter of the bracket aperture, and for creating a clamping fit between the collet aperture and the foot peg pivot by reducing the diameter of the collet aperture. The method may further comprise tapping a threaded hole in the foot peg pivot, and tightening a threaded fastener through the collet aperture into the foot peg pivot tapped hole for creating a clamping fit between the collet and the foot peg pivot. The method may further comprise fastening a right hand dual eccentric motorcycle footrest to a right hand side of a motorcycle and fastening a left hand dual eccentric motorcycle footrest to a left hand side of a motorcycle. The method may further comprise adjusting a vertical and horizontal position of the foot peg by rotationally adjusting the angular position of the circular collet and the angular position of the foot peg pivot.
Another embodiment of the present invention is a method of a dual eccentric adjustable motorcycle footrest that comprises the steps of fastening a bracket having a circular bracket aperture with a bracket aperture centerline to a motorcycle frame, inserting a circular collet having a collet axis and an eccentrically offset collet aperture with a collet aperture centerline into the circular bracket aperture, the collet axis aligning with the bracket aperture centerline, sliding a foot peg pivot having a foot peg pivot axis into the offset collet aperture, the foot peg pivot axis aligning with the collet aperture centerline, eccentrically offsetting a foot peg having a foot peg centerline from the foot peg pivot by a foot peg radial arm fixed between the foot peg and the foot peg pivot, the foot peg centerline being eccentrically offset from the foot peg pivot axis, eccentrically adjusting the position of the foot peg by rotating the collet about the collet axis in the bracket aperture and by rotating the foot peg pivot about the foot peg pivot axis in the collet aperture, and fixing the angular position of the collet in the bracket aperture and the angular position of the foot peg pivot in the collet aperture. The method may further comprise adjusting a vertical and horizontal position of the foot peg by rotationally adjusting the angular position of the circular collet and the angular position of the foot peg pivot. The method may further comprise defining a first eccentric offset as the difference between the a first axis of rotation comprising the collet axis and a second axis of rotation comprising the foot peg axis, defining a second eccentric offset as the difference between the second axis of rotation comprising the foot peg axis and the foot peg centerline, vertically and horizontally adjusting the position of the foot peg over an area outside of an inner concentric circle centered on the collet axis, the inner concentric circle having a radius of the difference the first eccentric offset and the second eccentric offset, and vertically and horizontally adjusting the position of the foot peg over an area inside of an outer concentric circle centered on the collet axis, the outer concentric circle having a radius of the sum the first eccentric offset and the second eccentric offset. The step of fixing an angular position may comprise providing a slot in the bracket for enabling a friction fit between the bracket aperture and the collet by reducing a diameter of the bracket aperture, providing a slot in the collet for enabling a friction fit between the collet aperture and the foot peg pivot by reducing a diameter of the collet aperture, and tightening a single securing screw through the bracket slot for creating a friction fit between the bracket aperture and the collet by reducing the diameter of the bracket aperture, and for creating a friction fit between the collet aperture and the foot peg pivot by reducing the diameter of the collet aperture.
Yet another embodiment of the present invention is a dual eccentric adjustable motorcycle footrest apparatus that comprises a bracket having a circular aperture fastened to a motorcycle frame, a rotatable circular collet placed within the circular bracket aperture, the circular collet having an eccentrically offset collet aperture with respect to a circular collet rotational axis, a foot peg rotatable with respect to a foot peg pivot placed within the collet aperture, the foot peg having an eccentrically offset positional relationship with respect to a foot peg pivot rotational axis, and means for fixing an adjusted position of the foot peg by securing an angular position of the collet in the bracket aperture and an angular position of the foot peg pivot in the collet aperture. The apparatus may further comprise a first eccentric offset comprising a distance between the circular collet rotational axis and a collet aperture center, and a second eccentric offset comprising a distance between the foot peg pivot rotational axis and a centerline of the eccentrically offset foot peg. The foot peg may be adjustable vertically and horizontally over a region defined by an area between an inner concentric circle centered at the circular collet axis of rotation and an outer concentric circle centered at the circular collet axis of rotation, the inner concentric circle having a radius of the difference between first eccentric offset and the second eccentric offset, and the outer concentric circle having a radius of the sum of first eccentric offset and the second eccentric offset. The inner concentric circle may be defined as that circumscribed by the foot peg centerline during a 360xc2x0 rotation of the rotatable circular collet with the foot peg centerline in a position as close as possible to the center of rotation of the rotatable circular collet, and the outer concentric circle may be defined as that circumscribed by the foot peg centerline during a 360xc2x0 rotation of the rotatable circular collet with the foot peg centerline in a position as far as possible from the center of rotation of the rotatable circular collet. The bracket may include a slot that is contracted when a securing screw is tightened into a threaded hole for fixing a position of the rotatable circular collet, and the rotatable circular collet may include a slot that is contracted when the securing screw is tightened into the threaded hole for fixing the position of the foot peg. The rotatable foot peg pivot may be fixed in a position using a splined collet aperture and a matching spline on the rotatable foot peg pivot. The rotatable foot peg pivot may be fixed in position using a threaded fastener and a tapered nut.
Another embodiment of the present invention is a dual eccentric adjustable motorcycle footrest kit capable of being assembled in the field, that comprises a bracket having a circular aperture adapted to be fastened to a motorcycle frame, a rotatable circular collet adapted to be placed within the circular bracket aperture, the circular collet having an eccentrically offset collet aperture with respect to a circular collet rotational axis, a foot peg rotatable with respect to a foot peg pivot adapted to be placed within the collet aperture, the foot peg having an eccentrically offset positional relationship with respect to a foot peg pivot rotational axis, and means adapted for fixing an adjusted position of the foot peg by securing an angular position of the collet in the bracket aperture and an angular position of the foot peg pivot in the collet aperture.
100. Right hand dual eccentric motorcycle footrest of the present invention
200. Left hand dual eccentric motorcycle footrest of the present invention
105. Right hand foot peg
205. Left hand foot peg
109. Right hand foot peg radial arm
209. Left hand foot peg radial arm
111. Right hand foot peg pivot slot
113. Right hand foot peg pivot
213. Left hand foot peg pivot
117. Right hand collet
217. Left hand collet
121. Right hand collet aperture
221. Left hand collet aperture
125. Right hand collet slot
225. Left hand collet slot
129. Right hand bracket
229. Left hand bracket
133. Right hand bracket aperture
233. Left hand bracket aperture
137. Right hand bracket slot
237. Left hand bracket slot
141. Right hand upper bolt hole
241. Left hand upper bolt hole
143. Right hand lower bolt hole
243. Left hand lower bolt hole
149. Right hand securing screw in a threaded hole
249. Left hand securing screw in a threaded hole
153. Right hand foot peg centerline
155. Right hand foot peg pivot axis and collet aperture centerline
157. Right hand collet axis and bracket aperture centerline
159. Right hand collet direction and field of rotation
161. Right hand foot peg direction and field of rotation
171. Right hand threaded fastener
173. Right hand tapered nut
175. Right hand foot peg splined pivot
177. Right hand collet splined aperture
179. Washer